Warbird Information Exchange

I read an article that either the Australian, or British Royal Navy took an aircraft carrier about 20 miles off the SE coast of Australia close to the end of WW2, or afterwards and dumped a bunch of Wildcats, Avengers, and others. I'm sorry that I'm having a brain fart as of to the correct British names, Marlet, and something else. Any body have any info on this: approx location, what was dumped, and so on?

I've heard this as well- I have also heard the area they were dumped in is now protected for divers or something.

Robbie

Have a Google, the info's on the interweb. It was RN carriers, as the RAN didn't have any carriers then.

Not protected from divers so much as fizzed airframes.

Best use would be to add bubbles to your soft drinks; no rebuildable airframes there.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

I think this was north-east rather than south-east, up near the Barrier Reef or Coral Sea somewhere? I remember some bloke announcing to the world that he'd found them a few years ago but wasn't telling anyone where they were. His announcement was greeted with healthy scepticism.

The Wildcat and Avenger started life with the FAA as the Martlet and Tarpon respectively, although both were later recanted and the US names adopted.

Walrus

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One crowded hour of glorious life
Is worth an age without a name

A Corsair centre section was recovered, and has fizzed away since.

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Actually, three corsair center sections were recovered. Very poor condition though. Craig McBurney acquired two of the center sections to use the spars as patterns. The annodized parts were well preserved funnily, as were the steel parts.

Cheers,
Richard

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Richard Mallory Allnutt - Photography - http://www.rmallnutt.com

a good friend of the family passed away the other day,but a year ago he told me of all the aircraft he dumped off a barge at the wars end out of the brakewater around Guam,anybody heard of this...he's got a picture he took of it too...his widow is going through his pics to find more aircraft shots..

From what I remember it was at the mouth of Sidney harbour at wars end.The airframes are junk at best.Some guy in fla. "had" one.Shallow salt water or fresh wate for that matter plays hell on airplanes.Got to be in deep water to have any chance.

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Hang The Expense